Article handling system

ABSTRACT

A battery gun has a stationary housing; a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row and stationary with respect to said housing; each of said barrels having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply; intermediate means for receiving the train from said feeding means; and distributor means for receiving the train from said intermediate means for providing projectiles to said chambers; said intermediate means including means for sensing the presence of misfired projectiles in said chambers and for providing lacunae in the train of projectiles corresponding to such misfires, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing misfired projectiles.

States atent [191 Ashley et al.

[111 3,733,960 1 May 22,1973

[54] ARTICLE HANDLING SYSTEM [73] Assignee: General Electric Company, Burlington, Vt.

[22] Filed: NOV. 23, I971 [21] Appl. No.: 201,357

2,849,921 9/1958 Otto ..89/l2 2,380,455 7/1945 Lippert et a1 ..89/l38 Primary ExaminerRobert F. Stahl Assistant ExaminerJ. V. Doramus Attorney-Bailin L. Kuch, lrving M. Freedman and Harry C. Burgess [57] ABSTRACT A battery gun has a stationary housing; a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row and stationary with respect to said housing; each of said barrels having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply; intermediate means for receiving the train from said feeding means; and distributor means for receiving the train from said intermediate means for providing projectiles to said chambers; said intermediate means including means for sensing the presence of misfired projectiles in said chambers and for providing lacunae in the train of projectiles corresponding to such misfires, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing misfired projectiles.

9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEU WY 2 3 3. 7 33 360 SHEET 1 BF 5 ARTICLE HANDLING SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to an improved article handling system, especially adapted to progressively advance a series of articles to a plurality of work stations, such as an ammunition feeding system for a battery gun. The invention herein described was made in the course of or under a contract or subcontract with the Department of the Navy.

2. Prior Art The classic modern revolving battery gun is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 125,563 issued Apr. 9, 1872 to R. J. Gatling. A stationary main cam is in a housing which encloses and supports a rotating receiver assembly which has a plurality of barrels and a like plurality of chambers and bolts. Rounds of ammunition are serially passed through the housing and handed to each bolt in turn as it passes the feeding station. The functioning of each bolt is controlled by the main cam. D. P. Tassie et al. in U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 76,077 filed Sept. 28, I970 disclose a nonconventional gun, for cased ammunition, wherein the receiver assembly, with its barrels, chambers and bolts, does not rotate, and the main cam in the housing rotates together with an ammunition distribution ring assembly. Misfires are extracted in the conventional manner, as each case, after firing, is normally extracted by the bolt.

Battery guns utilizing liquid propellants have recently been proposed with a nonrotating receiver assembly. A problem arises in the treatment of misfires when utilizing a receiver assembly wherein the chambers are always coaxial with the respective barrels. The projectile cannot be pushed forwardly through and out of the chamber because the barrel is in the way. The projectile cannot be extracted by the bolt because the bolt is unable to sieze the projectile. A single barrel liquid propellant gun system is disclosed by D. P. Tassie in U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 148,833 filed June I, 1971 which has been incorporated into the multibarrel system shown in Ser. No. 76,077, supra.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide an ammunition feeding system for a battery gun which omits feeding a round to any chamber which contains a misfire.

A feature of this invention is the provision of a battery gun comprising a stationary housing; a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row and stationary with respect to said housing; each of said barrels having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply; intermediate means for receiving the train from said feeding means; and distributor means for receiving the train from said intermediate means for providing projectiles to said chambers; said intermediate means including means for sensing the presence of misfired projectiles in said chambers and for providing lacunae in the train of projectiles corresponding to such misfires, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing misfired projectiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a rudimentary perspective view of a fourbarrel gun system embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a rudimentary schematic showing the principle of the inventive system for feeding the gun system and sensing misfires;

FIG. 3 is a rudimentary schematic showing the power train of the system of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a rudimentary schematic of a first embodi' ment of the invention showing a latching device for sensing misfires and interrupting feeding;

FIG. 5 is a rudimentary schematic of a second embodiment of the invention showing first escapement device for sensing misfires and interrupting feeding;

FIG. 6 is a rudimentary schematic of a third embodiment of the invention showing the power train of a second escapement device for sensing misfires and interrupting feeding; and

FIG. 7 is an end view of the power train of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A liquid propellant gun system having four stationary barrels 10 and chambers, and a rotating feed ring 14 is shown in FIG. 1. The ring 14 has a plurality of partitions 16 forming a plurality of projectile receiving compartments 18. Four push arms 20 are cam controlled to sequentially push a selected projectile from its respective compartment through a transport mechanism into alignment with a respective chamber, as shown in Ser. No. 76,077, supra.

The ring is supplied from a feeder which is in turn fed either from a conveyor or directly from a linkless feed drum exit unit. Gun, feed ring, and feed system are geared together for positive control of all projectiles fed to the gun. In normal firing, the feeder places projectiles into the feed ring compartments, and these projectiles are removed, chambered and fired at the appropriate station. The feed ring compartments return to the feed position empty.

If one or more barrels misfire, however, the nonfiring barrel or barrels go out of action and no longer accept projectiles. Henceforth, those projectiles not consumed at the misfired stations stay in the feed ring and recirculate through the feed position. The feeder expects each feed ring compartment reaching the feed position to be empty, however, and already contains a projectile destined for such a compartment. A double feed situation will result when the feeder tries to feed an already occupied compartment.

FIG. 2 illustrates the feed arrangement. Feed ring 14 rotates continuously. The feeder assembly, consisting of a handoff sprocket 22 and a feed sprocket 24, supplies a continuous flow of projectiles to the ring. A

projectile P-l is shown in the feed ring at the position for transfer to the last firing chamber 12, having almost completed a circuit of the feed ring. This is as far in the ring as a projectile should normally remain. Any projectile which passes this position, still in the ring, must have by-passed a misfired barrel somewhere in the circuit and will remain in the ring as long as the misfired station remains uncleared.

If P-l does remain in the ring and does circulate back to the feeder, a double feed situation arises. Projectile P-2 is destined for the space already occupied by P-1, and the two will collide unless some accommodation is made.

A single sensing mechanism serves to adjust both the feeder and the feed system to intermittent gun feed requirements, and positive control of the projectiles is maintained at all times. As seen in FIG. 2, the system operates by sensing a projectile in the feed ring after it has passed the last firing position. The sensing zone 26 in FIG. 2 shows the approximate position in which sensing takes place. When a projectile is detected passing through this zone, an adjustment is made in the drive train between the hand-off sprocket 22 and the feed sprocket 24 which permits the hand-off sprocket to continue rotating while the feed sprocket stops and drops back at least one pitch space. The feed sprocket must rotate sufficiently far to release the projectile ahead of P-2, since that projectile is already under the control of the hand-off sprocket. Immediately thereafter, the feed sprocket can be made to pause and to avoid feeding P-2 into the next space in the hand-off sprocket. Double feed will thus be avoided. If a single misfired round has appeared in P-l position, the feed sprocket and hand-off sprocket should then be reengaged in proper timing relationship and the feeding action continued.

FIG. 3 shows a mechanism through which the described action is achieved. All power for the feed system is taken from a primary drive shaft 28. Timing chains 19 and 20 (or gears) transfer power to the handoff sprocket 22 and to the input gear 32 of a differential gear set 34 which drives the feed sprocket 24. Gearing is provided to match sprocket speeds to main cam speed. Planetary reductions are shown in the diagram. Under conditions of normal firing, the spider assembly 36 of the differential is held in locked position by a pivoted, spring loaded, sensing linkage 38, and the differential acts as fixed gear train in transmitting torque to the feed sprocket and on to the feed magazine.

When a misfire has occurred, and a projectile enters the sensing zone 26, in FIG. 2, the sensing linkage 38 is moved to release the differential spider assembly. Drive motion at the differential input will now divide between output 40 and the spider assembly 36 in proportion to the respective resisting torques on each. Since the output sees" drive torque, and the spider is essentially free, the spider will rotate in preference to the output. Thus, the action of the sensing linkage in releasing the spider assembly is simply to introduce a pause in the drive motion to the feed sprocket and the feed magazine, while the main gun and hand-off sprocket motions continue uninterrupted.

As the gun rotates and projectile P-l leaves the sensing zone, the sensing linkage will be released. It will then re-engage the spider assembly to restore drive torque to the feed sprocket and feed magazine. FIG. 4 shows how timing relationship can be preserved. Stop lugs 42 are located in the periphery of the spider assembly in positions which assure proper timing relationship. For the gear ratios shown in FIG. 3, for example, a 180 rotation of the spider assembly will correspond to one pitch of the feed sprocket.

FIG. shows an alternative scheme for maintaining a more positive control over the indexing of the spider assembly than is provided by the system of FIG. 4. A small escapement wheel 44, normally locked by a spring loaded detent 45, is rotated by the unfired projectile P-l moving through the sensing zone. Through appropriate gearing 46, 48 and 50, the escapement drives the spider through a controlled angle, which is made equivalent to one round pitch on the feed sprocket 24. The unfired projectile moving through the sensing zone initiates and fully controls the motion of the spider. Proper shaping of the escapement wheel profile makes it possible to control the drive reengagement torque characteristic. In order for a four toothed escapement to correspond to one-fourth turn of the feed sprocket with the 2/1 ratio between the escapement and the spider shown in FIG. 5, the differential is placed on the other side of the planetary reduction in FIG. 2. In this location, a one-fourth turn of the escapement wheel will produce one-eighth turn of the spider, which in turn corresponds to one-fourth turn of the feed sprocket.

A third embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Feed system power is applied to a shaft 310 to which are fixed a timing sprocket 312, two hand-off sprockets 314, 316, a forward stop-disk 318 and an aft stop-disk 320. Power is delivered out to the feed magazine by a shaft 322 to which are fixed two feed sprockets 324, 326, a forward stop-disk 328, an aft stop-disk 330 and the output bevel gear 332 of a differential gear set 334. A spur gear 336 is journalled on the shaft 322 and is fixed to the spider 338 of the differential. The input bevel gear 340 of the differential is fixed to a shaft 342 to which is fixed a timing sprocket 344. Two idler gears 346, 348 are respectively journalled to the spider and meshed with the input and output gears of the differential. A geneva drive wheel 350 is fixed to a shaft 352 to which is fixed a spur gear 354 which is meshed with the gear 336. A spring detent geneva locking surface, or other means, not shown, biases the wheel 350 against undriven movements. A geneva drive wheel assembly 356 is fixed to a shaft 358 to which is also fixed a timing sprocket 360. A time chain 362 is meshed with the timing sprockets 312, 344 and 360.

The geneva drive wheel assembly 356 includes a central hub 364 having four slots 366 therein. Each slot is at an angle (e.g., 45) to the longitudinal axis and includes an inner rounded-dovetail cross-section portion 368 and an outer rectangular cross-section portion 370. Four sliding sectors 372 are respectively disposed in the slots 366. Each sector includes a roundeddovetail cross-section portion 374 riding in the slot portion 368 and a body portion 376 riding in the slot portion 370. A ledge portion 378 extends centrifugally from the body portion 376 and carries a pin 380 and a head 382. Each sector is biased outwardly-upwardly by a rod 384 riding against a compression spring 386, both captured in a blind bore 388 in the sector. The four sectors are captured to the hub by a disk 390 fixed to the hub by a plurality of bolts 392.

In operation, power is applied to the shaft 310 and by means of the timing chain 362 to the shafts 322 and 358. The driven geneva wheel 350 is held stationary against undriven rotation by the detent, and via gears 354 and 336 holds the spider 338 against rotation. The feed magazine chuting and the feed sprockets 324, 326 are driven by the locked-up differential transmission 334 to deliver projectiles to the hand-off sprockets 314 and 316 and thence to the compartments 400 of the rotating feed ring 402. The projectiles are normally carried around by the feed ring and transferred into the chambers of the gun. In the event of a misfire in a particular chamber, the projectile loaded therein remains therein and the respective next projectile for that chamber is blocked from transfer from the feed ring into that chamber. The blocked projectile, indicated as projectile A in FIG. 7, rides against a sector 372 on the rotating geneva drive wheel assembly and forces it centripetally. The sector rides centripetally-downwardly in its slot 366 against the bias of its spring 386, so that its pin 380 is brought initially to the same longitudinal level as the geneva driven wheel, and then as the geneva drive wheel assembly continues to rotate, the pin rides into a slot of the geneva driven wheel, drives it around an increment, and rides out. As the geneva driven wheel rotates one increment (e.g., 90) via the gears 354 and 336, it rotates the spider one increment (e.g., 45), thereby turning the differential input gear 340 and the differential output gear 332 in opposite directions relative to one another, which causes the feed sprockets 324 and 326 to slow down, stop, back up, stop, and finally move forward to their original position and speed. During this sequence the hand off sprockets 314 and 316 and the feed ring 402 have continued to turn one pitch, so the feed sprockets and magazine have lost one pitch with respect to the feed ring. As seen in FIG. 7, with misfired projectile A at the geneva drive wheel assembly, projectile E" in the feed sprockets will be retained therein for an extra pitch, and no projectile will be handed to the compartment which already contains projectile A.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of this invention, it will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described, and that certain changes in the form and arrangement of parts and in the specific manner of practicing the invention may be made without departing from the underlying idea or principles of this invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A gun comprising a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row;

each of said barrels having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply;

intermediate means for receiving the train from said feeding means; and

distributor means for receiving the train from said intermediate means for providing a projectile to said chambers;

said intermediate means including means for sensing the presence misfired projectiles in said chambers and for providing lacunae in the train corresponding to such misfires, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing misfired projectiles.

2. A gun comprising:

a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row;

each of said barrels having a respective chamber; projectile distribution means including:

an annular conveyor rotating about said annular row of barrels and passing a feeding station for receiving a continuous series of projectiles from said feeding station, means for sequentially transporting each of the projectiles from said annular conveyor to a respective one of said chambers, each chamber in progressive sequence receiving one such projectile, for locking such projectile in such respective chamber and for thereafter discharging such projectile from said chamber; and

means for sensing the presence of an undischarged article from a chamber and coupled to said feeding station for providing lacunae in the series of projectile corresponding to such undischarged projectiles, whereby no projectiles are provided to said conveyor for provision to chambers containing undischarged projectiles.

3. A gun including:

a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row and each having a respective chamber;

feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply;

distributor means for receiving the train of projectiles from said feeding means, for providing projectiles to each of said chambers, for locking each projectile in said chamber, and for discharging each projectile from said chamber; and

means for sensing the presence of an undischarged projectile from a chamber and coupled to said feeding means for providing lacunae in the train of projectiles corresponding to such undischarged projectiles, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing undischarged projectiles.

4. A gun according to claim 3 wherein:

said distributor means includes:

a distributor ring having a plurality of compartments disposed in an annular row, each compartment for receiving a respective projectile from said feeding means; and

intermediate means for transferring a projectile from a compartment to a respective unoccupied chamber and for not transferring from such compartment if the respective chamber is preoccupied;

said sensing means sensing the presence of an undischarged projectile by sensing the presence of an untransferred projectile in such compartment.

5. A gun according to claim 4 wherein:

said sensing means is coupled to said feeding means for interrupting the passage of projectiles from said feeding means to said distributor means. i

6. A gun according to claim 4 wherein: said feeding means includes:

a feed sprocket for passing projectiles as a train to said distributor means,

a differential gear system coupling said feed sprocket to a source of rotary power; and

said sensing means is coupled to said differential gear system for actuating said differential gear system to decouple said feed sprocket from said power source when said sensing means senses the presence of an untransferred projectile.

7. A gun according to claim 6 wherein:

said differential gear system includes:

a spider which is normally locked to provide a fixed gear train function and which is unlocked by said sensing means to decouple said feed sprocket.

8. A gun according to claim 6 wherein: said spider is locked by a pawl and detent. 9. A gun according to claim 6 wherein:

said spider is locked by a geneva wheel system. 

1. A gun comprising a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row; each of said barrels having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply; intermediate means for receiving the train from said feeding means; and distributor means for receiving the train from said intermediate means for providing a projectile to said chambers; said intermediate means including means for sensing the presence misfired projectiles in said chambers and for providing lacunae in the train corresponding to such misfires, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing misfired projectiles.
 2. A gun comprising: a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row; each of said barrels having a respective chamber; projectile distribution means including: an annular conveyor rotating about said annular row of barrels and passing a feeding station for receiving a continuous series of projectiles from said feeding station, means for sequentially transporting each of the projectiles from said annular conveyor to a respective one of said chambers, each chamber in progressive sequence receiving one such projectile, for locking such projectile in such respective chamber and for thereafter discharging such projectile from said chamber; and means for sensing the presence of an undischarged article from a chamber and coupled to said feeding station for providing lacunae in the series of projectile corresponding to such undischarged projectiles, whereby no projectiles are provided to said conveyor for provision to chambers containing undischarged projectiles.
 3. A gun including: a plurality of barrels disposed in an annular row and each having a respective chamber; feeding means for receiving a continuous and regular train of projectiles from a supply; distributor means for receiving the train of projectiles from said feeding means, for providing projectiles to each of said chambers, for locking each projectile in said chamber, and for discharging each projectile from said chamber; and means for sensing the presence of an undischarged projectile from a chamber and coupled to said feeding means for providing lacunae in the train of projectiles corresponding to such undischarged projectiles, whereby no projectiles are provided to said distributor means for provision to chambers containing undischarged projectiles.
 4. A gun according to claim 3 wherein: said distributor means includes: a distributor ring having a plurality of compartments disposed in an annular row, each compartment for receiving a respective projectile from said feeding means; and intermediate means for tRansferring a projectile from a compartment to a respective unoccupied chamber and for not transferring from such compartment if the respective chamber is preoccupied; said sensing means sensing the presence of an undischarged projectile by sensing the presence of an untransferred projectile in such compartment.
 5. A gun according to claim 4 wherein: said sensing means is coupled to said feeding means for interrupting the passage of projectiles from said feeding means to said distributor means.
 6. A gun according to claim 4 wherein: said feeding means includes: a feed sprocket for passing projectiles as a train to said distributor means, a differential gear system coupling said feed sprocket to a source of rotary power; and said sensing means is coupled to said differential gear system for actuating said differential gear system to decouple said feed sprocket from said power source when said sensing means senses the presence of an untransferred projectile.
 7. A gun according to claim 6 wherein: said differential gear system includes: a spider which is normally locked to provide a fixed gear train function and which is unlocked by said sensing means to decouple said feed sprocket.
 8. A gun according to claim 6 wherein: said spider is locked by a pawl and detent.
 9. A gun according to claim 6 wherein: said spider is locked by a geneva wheel system. 